Roller-coaster running gear



Jan. 2, 1923.

v c. e. FEUCHT.

ROLLER COASTER' RUNNING GEAR,

FILED JUNE 14. 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I 3. 2'1 38 27 3 ,2 a9 & 12 O 24 4 Q Jan. 2, 1923. 1,440,588

C. G. FEUCHT. ROLLER CoAsT'ER Runumc GEAR FILED JUNE 14, I922 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Patented den. 2,

CHRISTIAN G. FEUCHT, 0F BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

ROLLEE-GQAST ER RUNNING GEAR.

Application filed June 14,

To /I'ZZ whom it may concern I lie it known that l, Cirnis'rizin' it. i our, citizen of the United i rKiEllt 2 Brooklyn in the county of Kings and New York, have invented c tain new and useful Improvements in Roller- Coaster Running Gears of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to roller coaster rijinni g gears of the class in which'the cars e arranged to run by gravity over a track comprising a series of horizontally and vertically curved sections. the former giving centrifugal or outward thrusts upon the cars and the latter downvi'ard and upward movements, the chief attraction or popularity in rides of this kind residing in the sei'isations or thrills occasioned by the velocity of the several movements.

The object of the present invention is to provide a suitably constructed running gear or combination of wheels and track structure to safely support the cars upon the track whereby a substantially increased velocity may be made both in the outward swinging action of the cars and the downivard and upward falling and rising movements thereof.

It further object is to provide means an.- tomatically controlled by the running gear for maintaining a substantially unifor trip-period for the several trains of cars running over the track at the same time, thus overcoming the common tendency of relative speed variation occasioned either by differences in load or in running gear construction.

A further object is to provide means for more effectively stabilizing the cars in their normal rapidly changing paths of movement by applying resistance directly at the points of greatest loads or thrusts.

A further object is to provide a track structure in connection with the car running gear whereby the latter may be covered or protected throughout its movements, and at the loading and unloading section of the track the gear may be partially uncovered to afford means for operating the car gates; the construction and operation of said gates being fully shown and described in my co-pending application, Serial No. 561,091, filed May 15, 1922.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the obfects and advantages thereof, reference is ad. to the following 1922. Serial No. 568,185.

description and accompanying drawings, and to the appendedclaims in which the various features of the invention aremore particularly pointed out.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a plan view of the track structure formed in accordance with the present invention and showing more particularly the loading and unloadin portion of the track section.

Tigure 2 is a transverse section of the track structure taken along the broken lines 2-2, Fig. 1.

FigureB is a side elevation of a carshown in connection with the running gear and foot-treadle for operating the gates.

Figure at is an end view of the car shownon larger scale, partially in section, and in connection with the running gear and track structure.

Figure 5 is a detail side view of the wheel-frame with the wheels mounted thereon.

Figure 6 is a plan view of the latter.

Figure 7 is a transverse section of the wheel-frame along the broken line ,'?-7, Fig. 5, the wheels being shown in position.

As indicated in the drawings numeral 10 indicates a car-body, provided along its lower side edges with the corner binding an les 11, extending the full length of the car and around the forward curved portion thereof. Fixed to the opposite sidewalls of the car are the wheel-frames 12, having bottom flanges 13 adapted to engage the corner binders 11 and receive the weight of the car in connection with fastening bolts passing through the holes 14% of the frames, the latter comprisinga back plate or member 1.5, from which projects a guard flange or yoke 16. Traction or gravity wheels 17 are mounted on said frames within the yoke by means of the studs 18 provided with a reduced end 19 having threaded engagement with the back member 15, The wheels are loosely mounted on the studs in any apface comprising a curved plate 27 detachablv {retained in position by the screws 28;

(lo-operating with the several wheels is a track structure provided with main track plates 29 adapted to be engaged by the gravity wheels 17, the structure also being provided at opposite sides of the car with up right parts 30 and 32, the former parts being adjacent the rear side of the car and extending over the entire course of the main track and provided throughout its full length with the side thrust plates 31 adapted to be engaged by the upper level friction wheels 23. Also, withtbe exception of a portion around the loading and unloading station, the upright parts 32, adjacent the front or operating side of the car, extend over the entire course and are provided the full length thereof with the side thrust plates adapted to be engaged bythe upper level friction wheels 23. Adjacently disposed above the latter friction wheels at opposite sides of the car are upper level 'platfornis 34 extending the full length of the respective upright parts 30 and 32, and covering the wheel-frames 12, as clearly shown in' Fig. 4. The loading and unloading station comprises a low level platform 35 disposed with a curved outer edge adjacent the front or operating side of the cars, and extending on a downward grade betweenthe opposite ends, indicated at the points 36, ofthe upper level platform Fixed to the outer edge of this platform is a correspondingly curved side thrust plate 37 adapted to be engaged by the lower friction wheels 26, the lower thrust plate 37 being preferably disposed in vertical alinement with the upper thrust plates 33.

In the operation of the cars around the low-level or operating platform 85, the op-- posite side thrust plates 31 and 37' are engaged by their respective friction wheels to maintain the lateral position of the cars upon the ,traclgthe said position being held throughout the remainder of the track by the friction wheels 23 engaging the opposite upper sidethrust plates 31 and The relatively low position of the operating platform affords access for operating the gates of the several ears or trains by means of thefoot-treadle 38, which, in this position of the track, is ,uncovered and free to be operated by an ,attendant. For operating convenience, a running board 39 is fixed to the carbetweenthe wheehframes 12, below the foot-treadle 38, and substantially on a levelwith the operating platform The ends {of the running-board are provided with anchor-plates 5L0 connected by the screws 4-1, a d the anchor-plates in turn are secured to, t he upper side of the hubs 24; of the wheelby the studs 25 and nutsftQ, the lattell thelstu by thescrewed. As thus arranged platform. The

elnp covered by the washer 43 fixed to an attendant may eadily stand upon either the running-board or the opeiatg plat form or pass from one to the other in manually advancing the cars, operating the foot-treadle, or col ccting fares. i s the cars enter upon the operating platform in the direction shown by the arrow, they are brought to rest by suitably arranged braln ing mechanism, not shown, and. the gates are then opened for discharging the pas sengers. Upon reloading, the gates are locked and the train manually at vancedto thus avoid operating confusion, the speed controlling friction surfaces are provided upon the several wheel-frames. Under ordinary conditions in which the cars are left free to run over the tracks by gravity alone, it is found in practice that some trains or cars will make the trip over the several dips and rises more quickly than others, the more rapidly moving ones lifting themselves un der centrifugal action considerably off the track-plates at such points along the line, For overcoming this accelerated movement of the cars th friction surfaces are arranged to eng a as lower surface of the superposed p iorms and act thereby under the lifting action of the car to frictionally arrest the inc"ease of speed, the pee fr tional resis at the desired on the car and the bottom surface of the platforms also :"zcrveto prevent articles such as vi'ez iring apparel or bundles that may,' fall or be rnischicvously' thrown out of the car 'lroin landing among: the running gear and tracks and inter ering with the regular operation of the train. Also, the provisionof the guard or yoke ill upon the wheel-frame 12, not only prevents miscellaneous articles from becoming an tangled among the enclosed wheels, but also confines and overcomes the scattering lubricating oils applied upon the bearingsof the wheels or of the rainwater picked up by the latter. Furthermore the arrangement of the wheel-frames upon the cars serves to directly receive the operating lateral thrusts thereof and transmit them to the fixed side thrust plates.

l Vhile I have shown and described the preferred construction and arrangement of the several devices, it is to be understood I ng thus described my invention, what and desire to secure by Letters Pat- 1. In combination, a car-body, wheelfran'ies tired to the opposite sides of said carbody, gravity wheels mounted in said Wheelframes. side friction wheels mounted on said wheel-frames at a common level on one side of said car-body, side friction wheels mounted on sa d wheel-frames at different levels on the opposite side of said car-body, and a track structure disposed to resist the thrusts of said wheels.

2. in combination, a car-body, a wheelframe fixed to said body, a gravity Wheel mounted on said wheel-frame, a side friction wheel. mounted on said frame above said gravity wheel and disposed substantially on a level with the seats in said car-body, a second side friction wheel mounted on said wheel-frame and disposed substantially on a level with the centre of said gravity wheel, and a track structure disposed to support the thrusts of said several wheels.

3. In combination, a car-body, a wheelframe comprising a back plate member secured to said car-body and provided with an outwardly extending guard flange or yoke, a gravity wheel mounted on said wheelframe within the yoke, side friction wheels mounted at difiterent levels on said wheelframe independently of said gravitynvheel, and a track structure disposed to resist the thrusts of said wheels.

4. In combination, a car-body, a wheelframe comprising a back plate member secured to said car-body and provided with an outwardly extending guard flange or yoke, a-

gravity wheel mounted on said wheel-frame within said yoke, a side friction wheel mounted on said wheel-frame within said yoke and disposed sul stantially on a level with the seats in said car, a second side fric tion wheel mounted on said whele-frame and disposed substantially on a level with the center of said gravity Wheel, and a track structure disposed to support the thrusts of said several wheels.

5. In combination, a car-body a wheelframe fixed to said body, a gravity wheel mounted on said wheel-frame, a side friction wheel mounted on said wheel-fran1e and disposed substantially on a lGVGLWlth the seats in said car, a friction surface carried by said wheel-frame, and a track structure disposed to support the thrusts of said Wheels and said friction surface.

6. In combination, a car-body, wheelfraines fixed to the opposite sides of said carbody, gravity wheels mounted on said opposite wheelfran1es, side friction wheels mounted on said opposite wheel-frames and disposed substantially on a level with the seats in said car, friction surfaces carried by said opposite Wheel-frames, and a track structure arranged on opposite sides of said car and disposed to resist the thrusts of said wheels and said friction surfaces.

7. In combination, a car-body, a wheelframe comprising a back plate member secured to said car-body and provided with an outwardly: extending guard flange or yoke, a gravity wheel mounted on said wheelframe within said yoke and disposed substantially 011 a level with the seats in said car, a detachable friction plate mounted on said guard flange at the upper end thereof, and a track structure disposed to resist the thrusts of said wheels and said friction plate.

8. In combination, a car having a gate operated by a foot-treadle extending exteriorly of said car, a wheel-frame fixed to the body of said car, a gravity wheel mounted on said wheel-frame, apair of sidefriction wheels mounted at different levels on said wheel-frame, and a track structure disposed orly of said car, wheel-frames fixed to the opposite sides of said car, gravity wheels mounted. on said opposite wheel-frames, side friction wheels mounted on said opposite wheel-frames above the level of the foottreadle, and a track structure disposed at different levels on opposite sides of said car and adapted to resist the thrusts of said wheels, the upper of said structure levels being arranged to cover said wheel-frame, wheels and foot-treadle.

' 10. In combination, a car having a gate operated by a foot-treadle extending e 1- teriorly of said car, wheel-frames fixed to the opposite sides of said car, gravity wheels mounted on said opposite wheel-frames, side friction wheels mounted on said opposite wheel-frames above the level of the foot-treadle, side friction wheels mounted on said wheel-frame on one side of said car below the level of the foot-treadle, and a track structure disposed at different levels on. up posite sides of said car the upper'levelof said structure being adapted to resist the thrust-s of said upper friction wheels on both sides of said car and to cover said wheel.-

frames and wheels, and a lower level of said structure being adapted to resist the thrusts of said lower friction wheels on one side of said calg's aid latter structure being disposed friction wheels mounted at a common level on one side of said car, side friction whee s mounted at different levels on the opposite side of said car adjacent the foot-treadie locking; means, track structure disposed to resist the thrusts of said wheels, and a running board secured to the side of said car below. the foot-treadle.

12. In combination, a car, a gate mounted within said car and having locking means operated by a foot-treadle disposed exteriorly of said car, a friction wheel mounted onthe side of-saidcar below the level of the foot treadle, a second friction wheel mounted on the side of said car above the level of the foot treadle, and a track structure for said car including platforms disposed at different levels to resist the side thrusts of said friction wheels, the. lower of said platforms affording means, for operating said foottreadle and the upper of said platforms serving to cover said foot-treadle and friction Wheels.

13. In comblnatlon, a car, agate mounted within said car and having locking means operated by a foot-treadle disposed extort orly of said car, gravity wheels mounted on the opposite sides of said car, friction wheels mounted on the opposite sides of said car above the level of the foot-treadle, friction wheels mounted on one side of said car' below the level of the foot-treadle, and a track structure arranged on opposite sides of said car at differentlevelsfthe upper level thereof being disposed to cover and to resist the thrusts of said upper friction wheels, and a lower level of said track structure being adapted to resist the thrusts of said lower friction wheels and afford means for operating said foot-treadle.

1 In combination, a car mounted for gravity movement along a track a track structure including a fixed member, and a friction device carried by said car and adapted by the displacement of the latter under excessive speed to effect a'variable frictional engagement with the fixed member of said track structure to control the movement of the car.

15. In combination, a car, agate mounted within said car and having locking means operated by a foot-treadle disposed exteriorly of said car, a pair of wheel-frames fixed to the side of said car, side friction wheels mounted on said wheel-frames below the level of the foot-treadle, a track structure for said car including a platform disposed to resist the side thrust of said friction wheels, and a running board fixed to said car between said wheel frames and below the foot-treadle.

lGQIn combination, a car provided with gravity wheels adapted to run on the main track, a gate for said car havinglocking means operated by a foot-treadle disposed eXte-riorly of said car, an operating platform arranged above the levelof the main'track and adapted to laterally guide the movement of said car, and a running board fixed to the side of said car below the foot-treadle and substantially on a line with said operating platform.

17. In combination, acar, a pair of wheelframes fixed to the side of said car and provided with hubs having studs extending therethrough, side friction vwheels mounted on the bottom of the hubs of said wheelframe by the studs, a track structure disposed to resist the thrust of said side friction i wheels and constitutlng an operating plat- CHRISTIAN G. FEUCHT. 

